Gage for liquid-containing tanks.



P, E. TANNEB..

GAGE FDR LIQUID GONTAINING TANKS.

APLIVGATON FILED JUNE 18, 1914.

Patented Feb. 23, 191.5

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Yse

PERRY E. WANNEER, TH,

Spccicaton or letters Estant.

SIIG.

aented Feb. 23. 1915.

Application filed une 1.. i914. Serial No. 845,77.

T o eil whom it may concer/nv: f

Be it known that I, PERRY E. TANNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron. in the county -o Summit andr State ci Ohio, have invented a certain nevi and useful Improvement in Gages for Liquid- Containing Tanks, of which the iolloivingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had te the accompanying drawings'. t

This invention relates to measuring de vices whereby the height of liquid in a closed tank may be indicated u on a dial exteri orly` of the tank, and t e objects of the invention vare the provision of' a device of this character wherein the diai can be vadjusted .at any angle'to the horizontalv or loca'ted in any' desired positionirelative to the side of the'tank and this Without any change whatever in the construction of the indicating; mechanism; the provision or means for preventing leakage past the indicator spindle; the provision of a device of this character in Which-the indicating dial may be located 'at any convenient distance from the tank and without any change in the construction of the operating mechanism; the provision of a device ef this character of great simplicity, reliability-'andcheapness; While further objects and :1d--

vantagesgof the invention Wiil appear asthe description proceeds. l

Generally speaking my invention may be defined as consisting ofthe combinations and constructions recited in the claims here to annexed and illustrated, in Aone embodi ment, in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this' application wherein: Figure l is a vertical, crossfsectional view through a liquid containing tank equipped with a gage of my invention.; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the operating mechanism of the said gage, a portieri of the saine being broken away so as to show the interior construction; Fig. 3 is a face View of the gage dial and tank fitting; Fig. et represents a lside elevation of the same gage arranged with its dial ata distance from the Atank Wall; Fig. 5` Ais a vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through the parts shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 1s a face View ef the gage dial shown in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 repre sente a side elevation of the saine ga e^ar ranged in verticai position inside a iquid contrai ing tank. v

.Describing the parts by reference chan aciers i represents a liquid containing tank which may be of any desired material size, use or capacity. but it is here illustrated as the .fuel tank o a. vehicle in which connection my invention finds its broadest, but not its exclusive use. Formed inthe tank at suitable or desired location is an oA ene. ing 2 about which is secured the shoul er 3 of a neck 4, said shoulder being vmade of any convenient shape as may be necessar to conforni to the exterior of the tank. ounted inside of this neck and'preferablyA coaxial therewith is a hollow tube 5' having journaled therein a rotatable spindle 6 provided at a point between its ends with a cylindrical drinn 'Z'. 5 adjacent to this drum is a longitudinal slot S in which is siidably mounted a rider or cresshead 9 having its side edges formed with grooves lO- which embrace and run along the edges oi" the slet 8. The inner face 'of this erosshead or rider carries a iin- Fcrmed in the side of the tube.

ger 11 which projects into a helical slot 12 formed in the Wall of the drum 7 while the outer side ci' the same is provided with an vextension i3 pivotally connected to a link 14 the other end of which is connected to anA arm 16 projecting laterally from the stem 17 of a ioat 18, which stem is pivoted to the tube 5 by having its end bent at a. right plates. The rotation of the spindle is lim-v ited' in any convenient Vmanner as by means of the shouldered disk- 27 secured to the -inner end thereof and eoperating With a sto carried by ythetuhe and pre erably ma e by slitting either the tubewall or the late against the shoulder by means of the gland 32 which presses upon it through the medium of the crystal 3 3 and gasket 34, thus jpreventing all leakage. The end of the spindle is provided with the pointer l whichplays over the dial plate 36 which is mounted within the cup 30. When the gage risirs'ed at or near horizontal position as shown inFigs. 1 and 5, it isnecessary'to employ"'inesgtns to prevent the liquid in the iitank from vleaking through the tube 5 and "flooding'ithe dial.; For this purpose I have Ajshi'i'wiifiiiFigs. l and 2 a packing box 37 "locjted inlthe tube and having a screw cover ^vA38,*'thi`a "twov :being hollowed out to form a cavityt) thi-on hwhieh the spindle 6 passes. This cavityi's lled with some viscous packg qii'id` ,While I do not limit myself to any articulan] material I. have found that a..

fairly' soft soap! operates very satisfactorily ii connection with gasolene tanks. 1 Inalfigs 4 to 6 I have shown the tube 5 f'40fi`na'de of comparatively thin and ductile j "metal such as copper and secured to the tube v infany -convenieiit'manner as by soldering.

'-f'lh'e ji peripheral portion of this collar 1s Y*foi-fried as 'ziiiat fiange 41 adapted tobe vcompri'essed between the end of the neck 4 andthe ilaiige of the gland 32. In this case "tlief'e'nd oiitl'ie tube 5 is provided with :i

' und' poiiiter46.

-'lijollo'wliead 42 closed bymeans of the crysii'l143 and gland. 44 andcontaining thedialf It will be apparent that @the -t'ube 5 caribe adjusted longitudinally jfmerelyrby securing the collar 40 at tlie jproper.location.` Also, in case the collar 40 be yfn'i'ade sulliciently exible, tlie tube 5 can I'be rdeiiccted to one side oi' tlie other sufl- `ciently to acconimmlatc minor variations in installation. 'lliis torni is frequently useful in connection with the oil tanks of autor`mobiles wliere tli'c instrument board 48 is fatl a distance from tlic tank or 1t is desired to setitlie dial at a distance therefrom to get y"better llight or access as shown in Fig. 4.

isa;

'asuitable'opening in the tank and to bend the steni 17 et tlic iioat :is illustrated in F ig.

` cable memberpeai'riedby "said support, lmeans iaterialwnot acted upon by the tank f -ciprocable meinbervan wsaidfshaft'.iranged to f canse Lthe rotation? ofl "siid shaft upon the Yals,ret'iixried in 'position by means of a collary 'ble member."

7. This arrangement of parts permits the dial to be located in any direction, iin-enf; .13 position, and at any desired distance from tlie tank.

It will also be understood that a many changes in point of detail, coiistrr s tion, arrangement, and form could be Y within the purview of my invention Where fore I do not liiiiit myseli to the details herein' disclosed except as tlie saine cificiilly recited in the cl-.iiiiis hereto annexed or rendered necessary by the prior state ci? the art. K l

Having thus described my invention, 'what I claim is l 1. In a gage forllquid containing I the combination, with' a tubular neck 'ceci ed to tlie tank wall, and a' crystal closing the vcn'd of said neck, otra rigid sup ort secured in said neck, a rotatable shaft iournaied in said' sup ort, 'a movable vindicating member carried y the outer end of said shaft, a f5.2 fixed indicating meniber'carried by said meek, a stem pivoted'to VSaid support upon a substantially `horizontal axis, said `ivot v being transverse to said spindle, A`a recipro connectingk said l,iecipi'iiblemember and its pivot, sind connections'betweenfsaid1re longitudinal inov'enientj of said reciproca,`

, 2.A A vgage for liquid contain-ing tanks, comprising ahollowitube"adapted to be secured to'tlietaiik Wall, a longitudinal s dle journaled in sadft'ube, an indicating ole vice carriedfby' said? spindle, 'a'lv reciprocablc member carried b said tube, iigsteni pivot/eri to said tube upon k:'1substantially liorizonta lf3-5 axis, said airis* beingy transverse to `said spindle, mean-s 'connecting 'said steinl and reciprocable i nien'ibei whereby said reciprocable member will be'moved vralong said tube as said stem is swung, means 7for rotating' said spindle upon-"the movement oit vsaid rcciprocable meinbery'anda rfloatA carried bj: said stem. Y

SQA4 gage for liquid containing tanks comprising a hollow tubendapted to be cured in the tank wall and having ii iengi tudinal slot in its side, a longitudina spindle journaled `iii saidtube, an indicat-- ing dci'ice carried by siiidrspindle, a reci;- rocable ymember mounted in said slot and n arrangedto' be guided :by the edges thereoi'.

a stempivoted to said tube upona tan tia'lly horizontal axis,inicansconnectiiig said' said "steinL isiswunginieiin's `.for rotating said meer spindle upon the inovementof said reciprooable member, and a float carried by said stem.

4. Agage for liquid containing tanks, comprisinv' a hollow tube adapted to be secured u, .de tank wni and having a 510i. in its side, valongitudinal spindle joirnaled in said'tube, a drimilcarried by said spindle opposite said slot and also having a slot in its wall, theV slots in said tube and drum being arranged at an angle toeach other, a reciprocable member i located in said first slot, the sides of said reciprocable member being formed to eqr'nbrace the edgesof said first slot, a finger carried by said reciprocable member 'and projecting into said second slot, a stem'pivoted to said tube upon a substantially horizontal axis, a laterally extending lever carried by said stem, a link connecting said lever with said reciprocable member, a float carried by said stein, and an indicating device associated with said spindle and arranged to exhibit the position thereof.

45. A gage for liquid containing tanks, comprising alhollow tube adaptedto be secured to the tank wall, a longitudinal shaft .journaled in said tubefa shouldered disk rigidly secured to said shaft, an abutment Vmember carried by the tube adjacent to said disk and adapted to arrest- `the rotation thereof, a stem pivoted to said tube upon an axm transverse to said shaft, a float carried by said stem, operativeconnections between said]v stem and vshafty whereby said shaft will be rotated ',llipoiiv the swinging of said stem, andan indicating' device con.- fnected to said shaft.

6. A ,wv

` gage for liquid containing Y tanks, comprising a hollovvvtube adapted vto besecured-to the Welland having ii'longitudinal slotl in its side, a Aspindle journaled in said tube, a cylindrical drum carried by said spindle adjacent tosaid-slot and having a slot in its' wal'hsaid slots being' ar-A ranged at an angle to each other, a recipro-` v' .i cable member located in said first slot and having grooves at, its sides.j engagingV the edges thereof, a finger upon the interior of said reciprocable *memberc and vprojecting into said second slot, a. lfloat in. said tank,

means connecting said floatland said reciprocnble member whereby said member will be shifted along said tube upon. changeszin position of said float, and ali-indicating device operatively connected to said spinole.

7. In s gage for liquid containing tanks, the combination, witlrfa neck adapted to he' attached to the tank'wall, of an elongated cylindrical -tube having an external diametermateriallyv less than the internal diameter of aidv neck, amovable member in said tube, a oatnarried by the inner end of said tube, operative connections between `said float and said movable member' whereby e5 said member will be actuated upon a. move ment of said iioat, a heed adapted to be attached to said tube and having an indicating device therein adapted to be operated by said movable member, and a. collarf of thin ductile metal adapted to be ,secured to said tube and to be attached to said neck.

8. In a 'gage for liquid containing tanks, a neck adapted or'attachment to the tank Wall, an elongated cylindrical tube having an'external diameter less than the internal diameter of said neck and arranged to traverse the same, an indicator operating device cxtendiniy through said tube, actuating mechanism e jacent to one end of said tube and connected to said ober-ating device, a iloat,1neans connecting said float to said mechanism. so as to operate the saine upon changes in the height of said float, a collar stamped from thin metall and having an aperture snuglyr receiving saidtube' and of a size to be secured to said neck, said collar being secured to said tube at a point'intermediate the ends thereof, and an indicating device carried at the outerend of said tube.

9. A gage for liquid containing tanks, comprising an elongated tubular neck, a flange at one end of said neck and adaptedto be secured to a vertical wall ofthe tank, ahollow tube adoptedto .be secured in" the 96 outer end of said neck and to project inside of said tank, a rotatable member journaled in said tube, a dial at the end of said tube, 4indicating devices ,connected to said rotatable member and'coperating with said dial, 100

.a float Within said tank, and operative con- ;nections between said float and .rotatable vmember whereby said inember will be rotated upon an up and down movement of said-float.

Y 10. A gage for liquid' -containing tanks,

'comprising an elongated tubular neck, an

a. packing box in said tube and through which said spindle passes, a float carried by 1 20 the inner end 'ofA said tube,varid"operative connection between said float and spindle.

l. A gage for liquid containing tanks, comprising a hollow tube adapted to be secured in the tank Wall, a longitudinal spin- 12b dle journaled in said tube, a hollow head at eratively connected to said spindle wherebyv said'spindle Will be rotated upon an' up and down movement of said float, a packing box in said tube and having a cavity therein through which said Aspindle passes, and a viscous packing substance in ySaid cavity and surrounding said spindle, said.' sub- 1o stance being insoluble inv the liquid in the tank. Y l Y In testimony whereof,-I hereunto ax my signature in the presence of; two witnesses.

v PERRY TANNER. Witnesses: Y

BRENNAN B. WEST, HAROLDE. SMITH. 

